Mary 'Irene' Butler

DEERWOOD -- Mary "Irene" Butler, 84, Deerwood, died Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000, at her home.

She was born Sept. 20, 1916, in New York, N.Y., to James and Margaret (Dodds) Morton. She married the Rev. James M. Butler on Oct. 23, 1943, in Crosby. After his service as chaplain in the Navy, they served Presbyterian churches in Fulda and Roseville, as well as Bismarck, N.D. For 10 years, she also was an elementary school teacher's aide and Girl Scout leader to a group of handicapped girls in Bismarck. In 1981, she was The Gold Award recipient for her participation in education in Bismarck. They retired in 1981 to their Serpent Lake home but continued serving churches in Williston, N.D., and Silver Lake, Osakis, St. Cloud and Crosby. She worked both in the church and for Habitat For Humanity. Her husband died in 1999.

Survivors include two daughters, Betsy Watson, Inver Grove Heights, and Barbara Butler, Stamford, Conn.; two sons, George Butler, Guam, and Bruce Butler, Plymouth; two sisters, Sally Ewen, Pleasantville, N.Y., and Margaret Wasstrom, Brooklyn, Conn.; and seven grandchildren.

Her husband died earlier.

Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Crosby-Ironton Presbyterian Church in Crosby.

Arrangements are with Koop Funeral Home in Crosby.